Cutting steep angles

[jgorm]

I need to cut a 65° angle on the end of a 2x12, ~7' long. My skill saw only goes to ~55°, binds badly, and doesn't cut all the way through. My chop saw is worse and nowhere near the capacity to miter a 2x12. I tried a sawzall on a 2x4, but it's tricky to get a nice clean cut. I was thinking I need to buy a hand saw with a tall thick blade. Any recommendations on a hand saw, or another way to cut this?

Back in high school I thought sohcahtoa was BS and I'd never use it. Haha, I was way off.

 

[James-W]

Have you tried a circular saw using a thin piece of metal as a guide clamped to the piece you want to cut?

 

[jgorm]

No, but it's at least 10° off and >1/4" from cutting all the way through. I finished it off with a sawzall and it has a pretty big gap.

 

[EJM02]

Might be time to use old school skills and break out the hand saw that built a million houses before power tools.

 

[Toolfool]

Band saw.

 

[jgorm]

I have a portaband, but it's got a metal blade and not enough capacity for a 12" cut. My other band saw would be too tricky to try and control a 7' 2x12, and I think it only has a 8 or 10" capacity.

 

[Dirtydan69]

You may be able to rent a 10" circular saw at you local tool rental store.

 

[matt_i]

If i picture what you are trying to do correctly, a radial arm saw or sliding compound miter saw may do the job. Those are typically 10"+ blades. A tablesaw might do it but I'd be very hesitant to recommend that and the arbor may not tilt past 45deg.

You might have to cheat and angle the stock up 20 degrees, then cut a 45 degree on that.

 

[carcajou]

Bandsaw

 

[rlitman]

I have a portaband, but it's got a metal blade and not enough capacity for a 12" cut.

Huh?!? Turn the 2x12 so it is standing on edge, and now think out the cut. Your portaband should do this no problem.

Yeah, a table saw can't bevel that far over. 45 degrees is the norm. Some do 50 degrees. If the piece was short, you could do this in a tablesaw with a tenoning jig with the 2x12 pointing up in the air, but not with a 7' long piece.

Same for a miter saw or an RA.

I'd get it close with the portaband, and use a hand plane to adjust it to perfection.

 

[matt_i]

Good call, low angle block plane should make quick work of the semi-end grain.

 

[rlitman]

Good call, low angle block plane should make quick work of the semi-end grain.

At that steep an angle, I don't know if I'd be worried about treating it like end grain, but you can get a feel for it in the first swipe.

Just work the plane down the angle (at and angle, so you don't tear), so it doesn't dig in (which you'd get if you go at all up, or too much across). And support it all the way to the edge with a piece of scrap, so you don't get tearout where it tapers to nothing.

With a low angle plane, you'll be using it more across (where you have to also worry about tearout at the corner), whereas with a regular plane, you'd need to go more down. If that makes any sense.

 

[bad_idea]

What are you making? I would do 45 degrees on my 12" sliding miter saw w/ the board shimmed up 20 degrees.

 

[rweaver]

I guess I don't understand I can cut any angle I want across a 2x12 with my 7 inch circular saw

 

[rlitman]

I guess I don't understand I can cut any angle I want across a 2x12 with my 7 inch circular saw

He wants a bevel, not a miter.

 

[CJ7VFR]

He wants a bevel, not a miter.

Actually, his original post says he wants a miter:

"I need to cut a 65° angle on the end of a 2x12, ~7' long. My skill saw only goes to ~55°, binds badly, and doesn't cut all the way through. My chop saw is worse and nowhere near the capacity to miter a 2x12."

If a miter is indeed what you want, and your saw is too small to cut all the way thru a 2x12, then you can use a protractor and draw the 65 degree line and cut the angle with a hand saw or circular saw.

Depending on how good you are with a handsaw or circular saw, you should be able to get the cut very close.

Jim

 

[rlitman]

Read closelier. "My skill saw only goes to ~55°, binds badly"

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Circular saw or miter saw. Cut part way through from one side then flip the board over if you have to.

 

[JamieK]

Belt sander and a bevel guage.

 

[Whitworth]

I'd use a handsaw, Japanese pull saw preferred. Mark out the angle, scribe lines on both sides of 2*12, and follow lines carefully. If need be, you could use guides clamped to the 2*12. Small strips of wood would do.

Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes

 

[JamieK]

Actually, you could use a circular saw. But you'll have to break out the Sohcahtoa math. (or draw a to-scale diagram). Starting at the starting point of the bevel, make a very shallow saw cut, move the saw over the width of the blade toward the end of the board and increase the cutting depth, and keep repeating until you cut all the way through. (like a series of miniature steps) Clean up the cut with a sander or plane.

 

[Nor'Easter]

You should really describe what you are doing more clearly. You've got guys thinking bevel, miter, and since you mentioned length you've got me thinking bevel running the entire length of the board. Length would not matter if you were doing a crosscut.

Atleast all the responses made me chuckle.

 

[CJ7VFR]

Read closelier. "My skill saw only goes to ~55°, binds badly"

I did see that. But he did say miter not bevel, so that adds to the confusion since a skill saw is the same thing as a circular saw.

If it is indeed a 65 degree bevel that is needed at the end of the 2x12, then a good sturdy hand saw is all that is needed.

That is what I use to make sharp angles on the ends of 2x pieces when my power saws are not up to the job!

Jim

 

[DenisG]

If i picture what you are trying to do correctly, a radial arm saw or sliding compound miter saw may do the job. Those are typically 10"+ blades. A tablesaw might do it but I'd be very hesitant to recommend that and the arbor may not tilt past 45deg.

You might have to cheat and angle the stock up 20 degrees, then cut a 45 degree on that.

Piece of cake with a RAS. I'll never get rid of mine.

 

[JamieK]

My "assumption" was a cut like this... (without the compound angle)

 

[buening]

My "assumption" was a cut like this... (without the compound angle)

This is how I interpret his cut as well.

Outside of using a hand saw or borrowing someone elses equipment, I think cutting a shim board and clamping it and a guide on the backside of the board in this picture and then making the cut with the circular saw will be the easiest. This was mentioned above, like cutting boards at a 20° angle to make the shims and then setting your circular saw at a 45°. The shim tilts the circular saw on the board to make up for the difference in its max angle. As long as the shim angle and circular saw angle add up to 65° you are good (like 35° shim and 30° circ saw).

The disc/belt sander is another method that was mentioned that can be used if you have patience. Mark the cut line of a 65° on the board all the way around it, cut at a 45° and then use the belt or disc sander to sand your way till it is flush with all of the lines you marked on the board for the 65°. Make sure you incorporate the kerf width if you are marking it on the end of the board, otherwise put your marks 1/4" or so from the end and start your cut on the line.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Chainsaw and then clean it up however you want after the cut is made.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Hand saw, circular saw or reciprocating saw as far as they will go. Finish with a belt sander and/or plane.

If you have a table saw you can make a jig. Start with a cross cut sled (lot's of different plans on YouTube). You have to add a SECOND smaller crosscut sled 90° to the first one ! Add a 30° (or 45°) wedge (a couple of pieces 2x6 cut on a 30° angle, angle NOT bevel and then stood up and screwed down to the second crosscut sled)

The tricky part is clamping the work piece (7' long 2x12 !) to the wedge AND then clamping the second crosscut sled to the first sled ! Start with the blade straight up. "Sneaking up" on the 30° cut using multiple passes advancing the second crosscut sled toward the blade. Once you have the first 30° (or 45°) bevel cut on the end, start laying the saw blade over to finish the cut.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Chainsaw and then clean it up however you want after the cut is made.

I built a deck around a swimming pool using a chain saw to cut very low angle bevels. Cuts better than it sounds.

 

[yaidunno]

I’m assuming that what you’re really after is for the finished product to have a mitered angle of 25*?

See the attached photo, which would be a top-down view. Because your piece is 7 feet long, it will have to be set up horizontally along a table. Set your circular saw to 25* and put a vertical guide for the saw to follow. The depth of cut will be approximately 3.5”, so it will need to be finished with a hand saw.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Better, simpler design !


Table saw jig, 3 in 1


Remember steep bevel cuts limit the depth of cut of any rotating blade !

 

[rsanter]

Belt sander and a bevel guage.

Similar to what I was thinking. Saws all to get close and then use the belt sander to finish to,what you need

Bob

 

[jgorm]

Thanks guys!

Belt sander and a bevel guage.

I was thinking I could clean it up with that if needed.

I'd use a handsaw, Japanese pull saw preferred. Mark out the angle, scribe lines on both sides of 2*12, and follow lines carefully. If need be, you could use guides clamped to the 2*12. Small strips of wood would do.

Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes

This is my current plan. I couldn't find by dovetail saw so i bought 3 more saws on amazon for delivery today.

Atleast all the responses made me chuckle.

me too.

My "assumption" was a cut like this... (without the compound angle)

Exactly

Chainsaw and then clean it up however you want after the cut is made.

This is probably the best idea yet. I probably would have done it if I didn't order some hand saws.

 

[KenC]

Better, simpler design !


Table saw jig, 3 in 1


Remember steep bevel cuts limit the depth of cut of any rotating blade !

Neat jig, but his board is 7' long. My ceiling isn't high enough!

 

[myredracer]

I guess it depends on how clean a cut you want and what it's for.

Other possibilities.

Temporarily screw or clamp some 2x4 scrap pieces along a 7' edge for a surface for the circular saw to run on. Nail, screw or clamp a piece of 1x material to the temp. 2x4s for a guide. Make sure the blade on the circ. saw is at 90 degrees. Make a shallow pass at say 1/2" deep to check that the cut is looking good. Then make a few more passes, adding say an inch at a time until you get to the depth limit of the saw. Flip the 2x12 over and repeat. Finally, use a hand saw (sharp) and make the final cut through (around 6"). Dress up the face of the cut as needed with a sander. Maybe you could rent a 10" circular saw to get a deeper cut.

Or, cut the bevel in 4 pieces of 2x4, glue together and clean up the end as needed...

A pic of the final product would be nice.

 

[Kevin54]

My "assumption" was a cut like this... (without the compound angle)

He needs a 65 degree angle. That means that the opposite angle is 25 degrees, and you can only get that by cutting on the end of the board. His saw only goes to 55 degrees, he needs 65 degrees, so he would have to use the 25 degree to cut it. But since the board is 7' long, he can't cut the angle on the end

 

[theoldwizard1]

I’m assuming that what you’re really after is for the finished product to have a mitered angle of 25*?

See the attached photo, which would be a top-down view. Because your piece is 7 feet long, it will have to be set up horizontally along a table. Set your circular saw to 25* and put a vertical guide for the saw to follow.

I had to read that 3 times to understand what you are saying, but I LIKE IT !! You will actually be cutting in a downward motion.

Very simple. You just need a work bench with a "reasonable" front lip and some clamps

The depth of cut will be approximately 3.5”, so it will need to be finished with a hand saw.

And if you are concerned about how accurate you are with a hand saw, make the initial cut "close" and then sneak up on it with a plane !

 

[Stuart in MN]

Flip it on edge and make a 25 degree cut.

 

[buening]

The post by yaidunno would work but not with the saw placed horizontally due to the length of the board. Clamp the board horizontally to the front of the workbench, and proceed that way (rotate the board from vertical to horizontal)

 

[kbs2244]

Can you just flip the 2x12 over?